He was probably chuckling because he was assigning you a trip regardless - due to "best fit" ahead of the "3 others" that had less leveling - because he could!! (nice try )

Speaking of best fit. Upgraded from right to left seat in the MD11 last fall. Sitting reserve in ANC over the winter put myself on first fly. What a joke I was number one for two straight months and never got assigned a trip due to best fit! Who the hell in the union signed off on this POS side letter! Totally makes first fly useless. As a commuter I want to get out of town, the locals do not want to fly. Due to best fit nothing is guaranteed when you are going to get called. A huge give back for reserves. I guess we gave it up for A380 pay!

Maybe we're talking about different situations, but from the ALPA website, CBA FAQ...

If I have deviated, does the CBA require the Company to rebuild my trip if the scheduled deadhead is cancelled or changed by the airline?

No. We grieved (Administrative Grievances 02-15 and 02-16) this issue and appealed it to the System Board of Adjustment. On August 12, 2003 the Board denied the grievance on the merits, finding that the CBA does not require the Company to rebuild a trip for a deviating pilot.

MG2

That grievance was for a change in the deadhead after you deviate. If the original scheduled deadhead is now 5 hours late - you don't get extra pay a a deviator. The original pairing still met all contractual requirements.

This situation is about a change in the pairing to provide a "legal" crew rest prior to the original scheduled deadhead. Your operating leg gets in 2 hours late - the company still has to show contractual crew rest prior to the deadhead.

It doesn't matter if you are deviating or not - the company is still required to build or rebuild a legal pairing.

Deviate or not, if being late reduces ground time less than required by the CBA or the FAA, the scheduled DH has to be changed on the pairing.

Ooops....got it now. Thanks for 'splainin that to me.

MG2

What side letter are you talking about? It sounds like you are talking about trips greater than 50 hours TAFB, which do not have to be assigned in leveling order? If that is the case then we all signed off on that one because it is in the CBA. I believe that one goes back to the first CBA in 99. I agree it needs to be fixed because leveling does not matter in ANC, LAX, CGN, MEM 777 and HKG when virtually all trips are >50 TAFB.

On a fairly painful trip, at least for me (143/8Jul), so I looked up the other guys doing the trip this week. The trip is a DH to OAK followed by a CA NV tour. The guys a day behind were on reserve. They were put on a company jumpseat for the DH to OAK. My bank for the DH (MEM - OAK) with 30 days notice $889. Their (virtual) bank with <24H notice $386.

But I have been hearing for years, that accepted fares aren't a problem!

Nope, got released, ended up low enough on the list
for a couple days of Halo on the XBOX at the Crashpad.